Written & Published by Lolita Buck

When I was growing up I can remember many of the adults in my life telling me to stay in a child's place, to "stay out of grown folks business". This was a saying in the African American culture that indicated that as a child I had no business participating in an adult conversation. According to the adults in my life I wasn't mature enough to talk about whatever was being discussed. Even though at the time I thought the adults in my life were being pretty brash about it, it was what it was. I knew as a child that if I even uttered a word of disgust or disappointment I'd be slapped back into yesterday.
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I actually think this is what prompts many children to want to rush into adulthood because they fill restricted, as though they're missing out on something. The funny thing is that once we become adults & see what it really means to be a grown up many of us want to quickly revert back to childhood. So I guess the grass isn't always greener on the other side. And then many of us advance in years but we still have a child's mentality. I think we've all seen an adult or two having a full blown temper tantrum. Only difference is that they're not kicking & screaming in the middle of the floor. They are a bit more sophisticated about it. They yell & scream; throw things; & in some instances they even throw up the middle finger. Jeez Louise....

Today I'd like to focus specifically on spiritual maturity. I want to somehow at least get us to Grown Up Boulevard. God really does expect us to grow up in our faith. In fact, in one of the scriptures below you'll see there is a group of individuals being reprimanded because they haven't grown up. According to the scripture they should be teachers of the word but they're still having to be given spiritual milk they haven't advanced to solid food yet. So as you can see God does expect us to go from level to level in our walk with him. Much like growing older in years we too should be growing spiritually.

There are definitely times when we go before God as adults asking for something that we can't handle. He too is probably saying that is "grown folks business" & he will not grant our request. Not because he doesn't love us. In fact, its quite the opposite he loves us so much that he's not going to give us something we can't handle. Something that will literally destroy us. I bet many of us are having secret temper tantrums behind the scene with God than will ever admit to it. This is a safe zone, a hiding place of sorts where we can throw the biggest fit ever & God will love us just the same. And besides, who wants their peers to see them spazzing out?

So I suppose staying in a child's place is even a thing in Gods eyes too. "Grown folks business" is some heavy duty stuff that even some of us adults can't handle.
It requires something of you & of your faith to walk with God spiritually. So then the saying does have some merit, afterall.

You certainly can't walk down Grown Up Boulevard until you are spiritually sound enough to do so. Perhaps there was something instinctively our elders knew back in the day that protected us from the heaviness of adulthood. Oh what i wouldn't do today to go back to a child's place. Where i no longer have to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. The beauty & innocence of youth just got that much prettier. I now have a much greater respect for "grown folks business" because adulthood is no joke.
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Luke 12:48
"But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."

Corinthians 13:11
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

Hebrews 5:11-14
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. ​

​With dedication & servitude​
​-Lolita

Written & Published by Lolita Buck

Sometimes life can seem like a complete circus of sorts. At least that's how it feels to me at times. Trying to juggle my career, selfcare, & pursuit of purpose in life requires quite the balancing act. Truthfully speaking, if I'm not careful to strategically pace myself I've learned that I end up with one chaotic mess. And like so many of you I title this mess "success". Sound familiar? I've always considered myself to be a pretty orderly person. So if I get overwhelmed I can't imagine what someone who doesn't have any kind of system or strategy in place feels like? I've also learned that any great system that isn't rooted in the word of God can be quite disastrous as well.
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Joshua 1:8
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Of course there is always the illusion of success. Let me tell you the enemy can dangle something in your face that mirrors success all day, everyday. But the emptiness & void that your soul feels is unimaginable. Trust me, I've witnessed so many people chase & grind. Giving one hundred & ten percent to a fallacy. And ultimately they're totally out of alignment with Gods purpose for their lives.

I like to call these individuals busy bodies. They do a bunch of everything, but at the same time they do absolutely nothing. There is no cohesiveness nor direction to the many challenges they take on in life. If I had to describe them I'd say its like watching a juggling act gone wrong. You've seen it before where balls are everywhere. And the performer is quite embarrassed on stage. Are we too embarrassing the creator of the universe by attempting to juggle our lives without his guidance & direction?

Psalm 37:23-25
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread."

It's super important that we take on a balanced approach to life. Otherwise we'll literally fall apart. I think in the back of our minds we somehow equate success to the number of tasks we can conquer in a day, a week, a month, etc. never realizing that doing a million little tasks or projects doesn't equal success but instead OVERLOAD. And that's why so many of us are OVERWHELMED.
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God's measure of success doesn't leave us empty on the inside with a bunch of checklists completed. Instead our spirits are filled along with our pocketbooks. Why? Because he created us so he knows exactly what we need to feel complete, whole, & purposeful. That's why it's critical we stay linked to him so that we're not just doing a bunch of stuff & stressing ourselves out unnecessarily.

The final points I want to touch upon are getting rest & allowing your gifts to make room for you. So in all of the hustle & bustle of life it is essential that you allow yourself moments of peace & tranquillity. We are not robots people & besides even God rested after creating the Heavens & the Earth. If that's not a hint or clue I'm not sure what is?

Last but certainly not least, we must learn how to allow the innate gifts that God put in us to make room for us. This is crucial because it eliminates a lot of extra work when we learn to flow in our gifts. I don't believe that when God said "I come that you might have life & have it abundantly" he was speaking about an abundance of this worldly crap weighing you down. I think that version of success is inadequate for a child of the most high God. So please get that version out of your head.

I challenge you today to trust the greatest showman on Earth, our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ to create a master plan for your life that far surpasses your wildest dream! And then once your balancing act is all good, take the show on the road & show others how to walk in his light & love without tipping the scales.

As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. ​

​With dedication & servitude​
​-Lolita

Written by Lolita Buck

With the political & social climate today it's no wonder we've got feuds & debates going on left & right about much of nothing. No one seems to be focusing on the greatest fight of all, the good fight of faith. And why should we? When practically everything pertaining to God has been banned. We're living in the day of "anything goes" whether it lines up with his will or not.
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My question is, might these distractions be a way that the enemy keeps us from focusing on what really matters? It's much easier to face a deceived problem rather than getting down to the heart of the matter. Satan has got us so off course until its not even funny. He's always been the master illusionist dating back to the beginning of time.

Genesis 3:1-6
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?"

The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die."
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"You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

It's time we get focused women of God & take a stand for what really matters. The souls of individuals are being snatched up daily because many don't realize that the things of this world aren't worth it. And so many are selling out for a moment of fame, five minutes in the spotlight. Just to have their voices heard. While Satan is having a field day. He's even got some of us Christians off of our square because we too are caught up in the things of this world. Our faith is being challenged daily.

We're trying to trust a less than flashy God who guarantees pain & suffering while Satan dangles a life of luxury & happiness in our faces. Oh the allure of the "good life" it gets so tempting at times. But God commands us to patiently wait on him. I'll be the first to admit it isn't always easy to resist Satan's advances. He's just so slick with it at times. But God does say that he'll renew the strength of those who patiently wait on him. This leads me to believe that he realizes that we might get weak as we take a stand against the enemy.

Isaiah 40:31
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

I think God knows fighting for him the proper way is a challenge. But how much more of a challenge is it when you're fighting the wrong battle? If Satan can make you believe that your opponent is your fellow citizen he's won the fight before you even step in the ring. The bible is clear that we war not against flesh & blood but instead the rulers of darkness in this world. He's a clever little sucker, but we've got the ability to overcome through the armour of God. So get ready champs cause you're in for the fight of your life. I just want to make sure you're in the correct ring, cause it's about to go down!

As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. ​

With dedication & servitude​
-Lolita

Written & Published by Lolita Buck

There is something so beautiful & pure about this picture. It's a symbol of innocence & youth. But also of courage & boldness because anyone courageous enough to color outside the lines of ordinary, choosing to no longer conform to the the things of this world deserves to wear a crown much like the one the little girl wears above. It seems as if give God gives us permission as adults to do just that. Check out his word.

Romans 12:2
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Can you believe it? God is actually commanding us to color outside the lines people! I always thought God was pretty awesome but this scripture gives his awesomeness much more credibility.

Let's talk a bit about being bold for the kingdom of Heaven. I often wondered why we were always taught as kids to color inside the lines or for that matter why that penmanship paper even existed? (If you're at least my age you know exactly what I'm talking about.) It appears to me that God is looking for some radical individuals who are willing to wreak havoc on this Earth & staying in the safe zone clearly isn't going to cut it. Now you know if he tells you to come boldly before the throne & you're approaching the King of kings & Lord of lords. You know he expects your color game in the world to trump that. Neat & confined just isn't God's get up.

Hebrews 4:16
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Anyone who challenges the status quo that doesn't fit in with mainstream society is right up God's alley. I mean you're screaming inadvertently use me God! Just think about it, if you're just like everyone else then how can God create a platform for you to be used? Anything that's just like everything else gets lost in the ordinariness of life. So coloring outside the lines makes you stand out. That is also something God commands us to do.
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2 Corinthians 6:17
"Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."

To be honest that's the premise of this entire blog because nothing about my life says "ordinary". ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL. And although I like to connect with all types of people from all walks of life my ministry is definitely akin to the misfits of society. Empowering others just like me, or similar to me makes me feel like a superhero of sorts. So the more abstract you are the better. Ordinary is boring in my opinion. So the next time you see your child or any other child for that matter staying within the norm please challenge them to color outside the lines. No doubt about it these are the babies that God will decide to use later on down the line. If you don't believe me just look at the ones who stood out back in biblical times. Or even most historical figures today. Rarely do these individuals stay within the lines. It is their courage to go beyond the confines of life & explore uncharted territory that makes each of them great in their own special way.

As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in.
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With dedication & servitude​
-Lolita

Written & Published by Lolita Buck

We all know that there are four seasons in a year. But what many may not know is that there are seasons in life as well. According to the word of God there is a time for everything under the sun. The problem that many of us face is the inability to be able discern the season we're in. This is what causes alot of frustration & turmoil in our lives. We do things & desire things out of season. Is it possible that you're expecting your harvest during the winter season of life? And then during the summer's of life when the harvest is plentiful you're eating the fruits of your labor prematurely not realizing the lean season is always around the corner? The crazy part is that the seasons don't change so I'm not quite sure why we don't get it. The temperature or climate may vary in degrees from day to day. But the cycles of reproduction are identical from year to year. God's method of replenishment on the Earth has always been the same.

Ecclesiastes 1:9
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

I do believe that once we get a handle on the seasons of life we will be able to manage our harvest much better. It's not that God isn't in the blessing business. He most certainly is. But he doesn't just pour out blessings on us twenty four seven. There is what is called seed time & harvest time. It is our responsibility to understand the various seasons of life so that we don't mismanage our blessings. To whom much is given much is required. Of course there is the usual upkeep of things that goes without saying. But there is also the responsibility of understanding the seasons of life much like a farmer does in producing crops. This is so that God's provision will last all year long.

In DUE season the the things that God has promised you will come to pass. Just like the storms of life will pass over in DUE time. Only God knows how long certain seasons in our lives are meant to last. That's why I strongly suggest that we stay connected with him at all times. So that we'll have a better understanding of his will for our lives. No doubt about it God's time is very unique, very different from ours. But he does guarantee us this...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend,a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."

As you can see there is a cadence, a sort of rhythm to the flow of God's blessings in our lives. And they come with all sorts of weather. Sunny days, stormy nights, & all the stuff in between. It's all a part of the seasons of life. So don't be alarmed or even dismayed if everything doesn't line up perfectly with how you envisioned it. For even the trained professionals, the meteorologists get the forecast wrong from time to time. But I can assure you as the old time hymn by Dottie Peoples says, "he's an on time God, yes he is."

As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in.

​With dedication & servitude​
-Lolita